Silent Hearts
by Dream Sovereign
Summary: Did you ever wonder how Inuyasha's parents met? How they fell in love and the events leading up to the night of Inuyasha's birth? This is the story of their tragic love. From their first meeting to their last, heartbreaking farewell.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

_"I never imagined it would end this way,"_ Izayoi thought sadly as she lay in bed, one hand clutching the vicious stab wound in her chest. Her other hand was gently cradling something close to her body; something small, wrapped in a blanket. Her breaths became more sharp and ragged as her pain intensified. Somehow, she found herself gazing once more at the window to her left. The moon was now almost completely hidden from view due to the lunar eclipse, giving it the appearance of a crescent moon. As she stared intently at the moon, she found herself thinking, _"It's fading away. Soon it will be gone completely…just like me."_ She could feel the warm tears streaming down her face again as another wave of pain hit her. She moaned and cried out softly, then she once again turned her face towards the window. Then, slowly and with great effort, she raised her arm and reached out towards the window, as though to reach for something, or someone. As she did this, sad thoughts raced through Izayoi's mind. _"I'll never see his beautiful face again. I won't hear his kind voice again. He'll come all the way over here and find me…like this."_

"I'm…sorry," she cried out weakly, struggling to get her words out, "I'm… so…sorry…my dearest."Izayoi's breaths were now becoming slower and she knew her time was quickly running out. She had lost so much blood, especially after she had removed the spear that had been thrust into her chest. As she felt herself growing weaker, Izayoi finally decided to do the one thing she could do. Wait. Wait for the sweet embrace of death to come and finally end her suffering. She laid still and slowly closed her eyes, waiting for the pain to go away. Waiting to float away into eternity. As she laid quietly, eyes still closed, an image appeared in her mind's eye. The image of her true love; he looked so perfect, so beautiful. He smiled that wonderful smile that always made her heart race and her cheeks blush. His haunting, piercing, and beautiful golden eyes looked adoringly at her as his lips mouthed the words that she so longed to hear at this very moment. _"I love you."_

_"I regret nothing,"_ Izayoi thought calmly and acceptingly. _"If the sole purpose of my being born was so I could meet you, love you, and bear your son, then I can die without regrets. Yes, I fell in love with a demon; a wonderful demon with a kind and pure heart. That I will never be sorry for. Never."_

Then, a soft wailing sound caused her to open her eyes and look to her right. She smiled weakly and, with great effort, turned her body over to her right side_. "I want to look at my son's face once more. I want him to see his mother's face one last time." _She thenpulled the small object closer to her chest and moved part of the blanket away. A crying infant looked back at her, his arms and legs moving about lightly. _"He looks so like his father,"_ she thought happily as her eyes fell on his golden eyes, his pure white hair, and finally his ears. The most distinguishing features of his demon heritage were his small, dog ears on the top sides of his little head. Izayoi smiled briefly as she stroked one of his little ears with one finger. She then leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on his little forward as she whispered, "Don't… forget me…my son." Then, Izayoi began to lie still and slowly close her eyes, still holding the crying infant in her arms. As she let out one final breath, one last thought entered her mind. _"I wish we could have one more moment together, my dearest."_ Then finally, it was over. Everything faded away into nothingness. There was no more pain, no more fear, or troubled thoughts; just calm, tranquil, and peaceful darkness all around.

**AN: Hello readers! This is Dream Sovereign. Sorry, I know it's been awhile! This will be my first Inuyasha fanfic and I'm very excited to be writing it. I do not own Inuyasha, but I do hope you will enjoy this fanfic. Also, I apologize if I occasionally write anything that's historically inaccurate in this fanfic. I'm not Japanese, after all! Anyway, please review and do be kind!**


	2. Chapter 1: Wishful Thinking

_(One year earlier)_ **Chapter 1: Wishful Thinking**

"Lady Izayoi? Lady Izayoi, did you not hear me?!"

"Oh, Sachi!" exclaimed Izayoi, clearly startled, "Forgive me, Sachi. I did not hear you."

"I don't know how you couldn't," replied Sachi, "I must have said your name at least three times!"

"I'm sorry, Sachi," Izayoi said apologetically, lowering her head in shame, "I guess I sometimes lose myself when I paint.

"My lady, you don't have to apologize to me like that," said Sachi, her face stunned, "My goodness, with the way you're going on, anyone would think _you_ were the lady-in-waiting instead of me!"

Izayoi laughed amusingly at Sachi's remark, causing Sachi to laugh as well. "Well forgive me for respecting you and thinking of you as family," stated Izayoi in a playfully sarcastic tone.

"All right, all right," chuckled Sachi, "I get your message." Then, as though remembering herself, Sachi cleared her throat and bent down to pick up a tray that carried a beautiful tea setting. Then, her face and demeanor became a little more serious as she said, "But enough of my nonsense. I just came to bring you your tea, my lady. I didn't mean to disturb you."

"Sachi," began Izayoi, "how many times must I tell you that you do not have to address me so formally. Just call me Izayoi, please."

"My lady, um, I mean Izayoi," said Sachi, her heart touched by her mistress's words. "You're too good to me. However, I must insist on maintaining my sense of propriety in the presence of your father or company."

"Very well," replied Izayoi, shaking her head and smiling. "And thank you so much for the tea. Could you just leave it on the table and I will get to it in a moment." With that, Izayoi turned her attention back to her painting while Sachi did as she was asked. After she set the tray on the table, Sachi felt compelled to see what Izayoi had painted this time. So she walked over to where Izayoi sat, watching how gracefully and skillfully she handled the paintbrush. Sachi was always amazed at her mistress's gift for painting and enjoyed seeing what she would paint next. Last time, Izayoi had painted the gardens that stood behind the mansion. This time, Izayoi had painted a lush, beautiful forest with an amazing blue sky reigning above. She had even painted a flock of birds soaring majestically into the sky. Finally, Izayoi put down the paintbrush, indicating that she had completed it. She sat there with a content smile on her face, admiring her work.

"I love this one," stated Sachi, her face and voice amazed and admiring. "I especially love the birds. They look so free, flying like that into the sky."

"Yes, they do, don't they," remarked Izayoi. "They're free. Free to go where they like, to see new places, and meet new people." As she spoke, Izayoi's tone took on a dreamy, yet somewhat sad tone. Her expression also became a little sad, her eyes staring intently at the little birds in the painting. She now seemed to be speaking more to herself than to Sachi. "Free to be themselves and not who they were trained to be."

"Izayoi?" Sachi asked with concern.

Izayoi's face became momentarily worried as she realized that she had revealed a little too much. She then turned away from the painting to face Sachi. She put on a reassuring smile for Sachi and she said, "Don't worry, Sachi. I'm not making any sense right now. Pay it no mind."

"Whatever you say, Izayoi," answered Sachi, her tone still a little worried. Sachi then turned and began to leave the bedroom. She stopped abruptly as she reached the door, remembering that she had one last thing to ask. "Oh, I almost forgot to ask, but do you still wish to go visit town today?"

"Oh absolutely!" exclaimed Izayoi, clearing voicing her enthusiasm. "You know how much I enjoy our visits to the town. When I've finished my tea, we will leave at once."

"As you wish, Izayoi" Sachi said with a smile. She then walked out the door, closing it behind her.

Izayoi went over to the table were Sachi had left the tea prepared for her and knelt down beside it. After she had poured herself a cup of tea, she turned her head towards the window. It was certainly a beautiful day outside and Izayoi couldn't wait to go out into the town and enjoy it. Her father did not approve much of her frequent visits to town, but as long as she had Sachi to escort her, he at least did not complain about it as much as before. Izayoi sighed as she thought glumly, "Father just doesn't understand. I happen to _enjoy_ being around regular people sometimes. Not the arrogant and insufferable nobles that he usually makes me associate with." As she looked down sadly into her cup of tea, she found herself saying out loud, "I sometimes wish that things could change. Lately, I've been feeling empty, as though there is something missing from my life." But then, as she slowly raised her head up and looked over to the window once more, she found herself smiling determinedly as she said, "Whatever is missing from my life, I _will_ find it. And when I do…things _will_ change."

**AN: Hello again readers! I hope you're enjoying the story thus far. If I get at least 5 reviews, then I'll post more of the story. Thank you! --Dream Sovereign**


	3. Chapter 2: A Most Unique Demon

**Chapter 2: A Most Unique Demon**

_"It's perfect, simply perfect."_

This thought played itself over and over in Inutaisho's mind as he stood outside, proudly admiring his home. It was a large, beautiful mansion that was situated deep in the forest, almost hidden away from the outside world. For any human being, the isolation would have been unbearable. But this was precisely what Inutaisho craved more than anything else; privacy. But also, he craved the serenity and tranquility of the forest; the look, the feel, and the scent of it. "Ah yes, the scent," Inutaisho thought to himself and as he did, he decided to savor the magnificent scent of the forest around him. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, allowing his powerful sense of smell to take over briefly. Many different, interesting, and wonderful smells enveloped him and when he finished, he let out a deep sigh of pleasure and contentment. "Remarkable," he whispered softly. Then, his eyes narrowed a bit as he casually eyed his shoulder, a tiny smirk forming on his lips as he said out loud, "This place almost seems even more beautiful than the last time I saw it. Wouldn't you agree with me, Myoga?"

"Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry, Lord Inutaisho!" cried out the little flea demon apologetically, bouncing lightly on his master's shoulder. "I should have made myself known to you earlier. But I was trying not to disturb you. Do forgive me!"

Inutaisho couldn't help but smile and shake his head at his little vassal's reaction. "It's all right, Myoga," he chuckled lightly. "You didn't disturb me. In fact, I was beginning to wonder where you'd gone."

"Well, my lord," began Myoga, trying to assume a more formal and calm demeanor, "I was merely surveying the land. You know, just to see how much has changed around here since the last time we were here."

"Ah yes," Inutaisho acknowledged, "Things must be expected to change over the course of time. I often forget that at times." As he said this, Inutaisho's face became somewhat hardened and cold. His voice took on a bitter, almost mocking tone as he said, "But I guess that should be expected of a demon, for whom time has absolutely no meaning."

"My lord…," Myoga began sympathetically and then decided that it was best not to say anything more. He could see that all too familiar look in his master's eyes; the look of anger, yet with a tinge of sadness. Myoga had also noticed the way Lord Inutaisho's voice had become dark and hoarse as he said the word "demon." "Why must Lord Inutaisho be so hard on himself?" Myoga thought to himself sadly. "When will he see that he is unique among all demons?" And it was not just his superior strength, speed, agility, or other heightened senses that separated him from other demons. But it was in his fondness and respect for human beings and human life. It was this aspect that separated Inutaisho from those other horrific, ruthless, and monstrous demons that plagued this world; most of which had nothing but contempt for human beings, or would have viewed them as simply nothing more than easy prey.

During his many demon years, there always came a time when Lord Inutaisho felt the desire to live near humans. When he did, he would choose to reside somewhere remote; where he could have the freedom to be around people or merely observe them whenever he chose to. This particular mansion was one of many that Inutaisho had resided in over the years; each one in a different land and each one, during a different time. But it had become very obvious to Myoga that this mansion was by far his master's favorite one.

Despite his fondness for humans, however, Inutaisho would never allow himself to become _too_ closely involved with humans. Though his master would never admit it aloud, Myoga could always sense that even in his human form, Lord Inutaisho usually felt extremely disconnected from humans; almost as though he felt that he had no right to be near them or even speak to them. Or perhaps it was a subconscious fear that people might somehow see him for what he truly was and shun him. However, these concerns never seemed to deter Inutaisho from his desire to be among humans. "Even demons can get lonely once in awhile. Especially when they've been around as long as Lord Inutaisho," Myoga thought sadly.

"What are you thinking about, Myoga?" Inutaisho asked, looking over at him very inquisitively.

"Oh n-n-nothing, my lord!" Myoga answered a little too fast, realizing that he had been silent for far too long, "I wasn't thinking about anything important!"

Clearly Inutaisho was not convinced, as he continued to eye him suspiciously. "You looked very absorbed just now, as though you were thinking about something very serious." Suddenly, his eyes narrowed and his tone and demeanor became dark and menacing as he said, "You were thinking something about me. I just _know_ you were. And you know how much I _despise_ it when you keep secrets from me."

As Myoga began to shudder and sweat profusely, Inutaisho suddenly burst out into laughter. "You're far too easy sometimes, Myoga!" he chuckled. If there was one thing that Inutaisho enjoyed more than anything else, it was toying with his cowardly little vassal and frightening him whenever a good opportunity presented itself.

Myoga breathed a sigh of relief as he realized that Inutaisho was merely teasing him and was not going to press him any further. However, he knew his master well enough to know that Inutaisho truly meant it when he said that he despised when anyone kept secrets from him, particularly his vassal. Myoga merely laughed nervously as he responded, "You're right, my lord. I'm far too gullible and cowardly for my own good sometimes!"

Suddenly, Inutaisho's demeanor became more serious as he gazed straight ahead into the forest. He stood like that for a few moments, as though contemplating something. Eventually, he asked Myoga, "Is the village still there? You know, the one that was to the north of here?"

"Yes it is, my lord," Myoga responded, "However, it is no longer a village, since it has grown considerably since we've been here. It is now called Kasumi Town and it is certainly a favorite among travelers and merchants, who seem to pass through there quite a bit."

"Hmm," replied Inutaisho thoughtfully as stared off into the direction of the town. "Then I certainly won't draw _too_ much attention, since they get quite their share of strangers and foreigners," he thought to himself, feeling quite pleased about this. Then, he turned his attention back to Myoga, smiling lightly as he said, "Well, what do you think, Myoga? Shall we pay a visit?" Myoga knew it was more of a statement than a question.

"Of course, Master Inutaisho," he replied, "But could I ask a small favor of you, master?"

"What is it, Myoga?" Inutaisho answered, curious as to what he would ask.

"Well, I haven't really fed in a while and I was wondering if I…perhaps…could…"

Inutaisho smiled lightly as he realized what his little vassal was requesting. "Very well, Myoga," he told him, "But please try not to get carried away like you usually do."

"Oh thank you, master!" exclaimed Myoga. With that, Myoga leaped from his master's shoulder onto his face, landing right on his left cheek. He then proceeded to feed off of his blood, greedily sucking up as much as he could. For a flea demon like Myoga, Inutaisho's demon blood was a rare treat, indeed.

It was only through sheer force of will that Inutaisho ignored the stinging, itching sensation on his face and the impulse to slap Myoga away. He then took off with lightening speed towards the north to Kasumi Town, which for a normal person on foot would have taken at least two hours to get there. But for a powerful dog demon with incredible speed and agility like Inutaisho, he would reach Kasumi very soon.

**AN: Hello again, readers! I know I said that I would wait until I got 5 reviews, but I just couldn't resist! Plus, I didn't want to keep you guys in suspense for too long. Anyway, I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far and thank you so much for your nice reviews. Please continue reading and reviewing!**


	4. Chapter 3: Crossing Paths

**Chapter 3: Crossing Paths **

"Kasumi is certainly bustling with people today," remarked Izayoi as she and Sachi made their way through the town. "I know our town is very popular and lively, but it's unusually crowded today. I wonder why."

"My lady!" exclaimed Sachi, clearly shocked by her statement, "Don't tell me that you've forgotten about the festival?"

Izayoi gasped in shock and disbelief as she turned to look at Sachi. "I can't believe it's already that time of year! My goodness how time flies!"

Sachi laughed lightly as she replied, "Yeah, and I can never seem to get over how many people arrive here for the festival. It's not even for two more days and people are already flocking over here!"

Izayoi smiled and nodded in agreement as they continued onward, stopping in front of one of the shops. A middle-aged woman was manning the shop as she stood out front, greeting people that were walking by. The woman took one look at Izayoi and immediately recognized her. She smiled excitedly as she rushed over to greet her. "I can't believe this! Lady Izayoi, in my shop! I'm so delighted to meet you!"

Izayoi smiled shyly, then immediately put one hand up over her mouth and looked away briefly, something she always seemed to do whenever she was embarrassed or flattered. Then, she bowed politely to the woman as she said, "I'm delighted to meet you as well. Are you new to Kasumi?"

"Oh yes," replied the woman, "I just arrived in town and decided to set up shop here. With the festival rapidly approaching, my business has been doing pretty good thus far."

"I'm glad to hear that," Izayoi said sincerely. "You certainly have nice wares here. And those kimonos over there look stunning."

"Then you have excellent taste if you are admiring those kimonos. In fact, if you'd like, I can show you some that would suit you perfectly. Of course, you would look beautiful no matter what you wore!"

Izayoi's cheeks immediately turned red at the woman's words and she could hear Sachi giggling a little, indicating that she noticed the blushing. Izayoi hated the way she seemed to blush easily, which was always very noticeable with her pale skin. But she did her best to look and sound casual as she answered the woman. "Yes, I would dearly love to see any kimonos you have."

"Wonderful!" the woman said excitedly. "Wait right here while I go get the ones you should see." With that, she went inside of her shop, leaving Izayoi and Sachi to wait outside for her.

"She certainly seems very friendly," Izayoi remarked to Sachi.

"Yes she does," agreed Sachi. "And you shouldn't get embarrassed when people say that you're beautiful, which you are."

Izayoi looked away modestly and laughed timidly. Suddenly, a gust of wind began to blow, causing Izayoi's mass of long, raven hair to flow gently in the wind. Izayoi breathed in the air, smiled, and closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of the wind in her face. More gusts of wind began to blow, allowing Izayoi to continue to savor the feel of the wind blowing in her face and hair.

* * *

"I wonder what's with all the commotion," Inutaisho said quietly to Myoga as they walked around the crowded town. "Even for a town, it seems unusually crowded."

"I overheard someone mention something about a festival that's coming in two days," replied Myoga as he glanced around at all of the people walking past them. The more they walked around, the more Myoga noticed that Inutaisho was certainly attracting a lot of attention, particularly from the young women in the town. Some of them would stare in stunned disbelief, some would turn and whisper to each other, giggling excitedly, while some even tried to get him to look their way. Inutaisho hardly seemed to notice or even care as he made his way from shop to shop, trying to seem inconspicuous.

"Hmm, a festival you say?" Inutaisho finally replied. "Sounds interesting," he replied in a casual tone of voice. Despite his nonchalant attitude, Myoga could see that Inutaisho was interested in the festival and would most likely attend. Human rituals and events never failed to intrigue Inutaisho.

Just then, a gust of wind blew by, sending Myoga flying off of Inutaisho's shoulder. "Master!" he cried out as he was blown away.

"Myoga!" Inutaisho cried out softly as he looked around for his little vassal. Eventually, he found Myoga on top of a shop counter a few feet away from where he had been standing. "Myoga are you all right?" he asked quietly with concern in his voice.

"Oh I'm fine, my lord," Myoga responded. "It was just that wind. It knocked me right off! But I'm perfectly fine now."

Inutaisho smiled and sighed in relief as he looked down at Myoga. "Well I'm glad. You truly gave me a fright there for a moment. You could have been…" Inutaisho stopped in midsentence as he suddenly became aware of a scent that the breeze had carried forth. It was a beautiful, intoxicating scent; a floral scent, mostly of roses and cherry blossoms, mixed in with the scents of the trees. To him, it was as though he had just stepped into the most luxuriant garden in the middle of a lush, green forest. As he sniffed more, Inutaisho became aware that the scent was also definitely coming from a human. Captivated, Inutaisho began to walk away, sniffing more and more as he followed the scent. "I must find whoever carries that scent," he thought to himself determinedly.

"Master Inutaisho!" called out Myoga, then he immediately quieted, not wanting to draw any attention to himself. He noticed that Inutaisho seemed to be looking for something, and therefore decided to follow him quietly at a distance.

Inutaisho continued to make his way through the crowds, now sniffing more intently. "The scent is getting stronger," he thought to himself, "I'm getting closer." Eventually, he stopped as the scent was now incredibly strong, indicating that it was here somewhere. He looked around him, and then stopped and stared in disbelief as he saw where the scent had come from. There, a short distance away from him stood a beautiful young woman with long, black hair and pale skin. "It was this woman who carried that magnificent scent," he thought to himself, his expression stunned. "Judging by her elegant clothes, she must be a noblewoman. And that other girl with her must be her maid." He continued to watch the young woman intently as she was being shown different kimonos by an overly-helpful woman at the shop. Even though he was standing out of earshot, Inutaisho's superior hearing allowed him to hear most of what was being said. He watched as the older woman showed the young woman different kimonos and could hear her constantly flattering her. Eventually, he heard the older woman address the young woman by name. "Izayoi," he thought to himself dreamily, "Her name is Izayoi." Then, unable to suppress the urge, he sniffed once more, savoring her wonderful scent. "She's exquisite," he admitted out loud."

"Master Inutaisho?" asked Myoga, who had managed to catch up to his master. He had also managed to leap up onto Inutaisho's shoulder in time to hear what he had just said.

Inutaisho immediately stiffened and looked down at Myoga with a startled expression. He had not noticed when he had appeared and he hoped and prayed that Myoga had not heard him or had noticed his absorption. He tried to distract Myoga by pretending to be frustrated at him, which was not too hard; he _was_ feeling some frustration at having been interrupted. "Myoga, when are you going to learn not to sneak up on me like that?" he scolded softly. "You know very well how it irritates me when you pop up out of nowhere like that!"

"P-p-p-please forgive me, my lord!" cried out Myoga, clearly fearful of his master's temper. "But you disappeared so suddenly and I just now caught up with you. I'm terribly sorry and I'll try not to do it anymore!"

Satisfied that he had succeeded in distracting Myoga away from the situation, Inutaisho's demeanor became relaxed and nonchalant once more. "You're forgiven, Myoga," he said to him in a sincere tone. He smiled as he saw Myoga breathe a sigh of relief at his words. He had to admit, Myoga's nervous and cowardly nature made him a source of great amusement. Then, Inutaisho found himself glancing back at the shop where Izayoi and her maid were standing. But to his shock, they were no longer there. In fact, they were now walking towards his direction, both women looking at each other as they conversed. Inutaisho just stood their, unable or unwilling to move as he watched Izayoi approach.

* * *

"Those kimonos truly were stunning," said Izayoi, her face beaming a bit as they left the shop. "I truly feel that I bought the perfect one for the festival."

"You certainly did," agreed Sachi, "None of the men will be able to take their eyes off of you. Not that they ever do anyway!"

"Sachi!" Izayoi exclaimed, her face looking completely embarrassed. As soon as she saw that Sachi was about to laugh at her, Izayoi immediately turned her face away from her in shame. As she looked ahead, Izayoi became aware of someone standing a short distance ahead of them. It was a tall, young man with long, silvery white hair, which was tied up in a ponytail; he was also wearing a hakama over his elegant-looking kimono, indicating he was probably a wealthy lord of some kind. As they walked closer, Izayoi could see that this young man was looking right at her. Although her mind told her she should look away, Izayoi could not take her eyes off of him. She could not believe how incredibly handsome this man was; he seemed to have walked right out of a dream. "He's like an angel," Izayoi thought as she continued to look at him, completely spellbound by this man. "Why does he keep looking at me like that? He seems stunned and frustrated at the same time." Izayoi then took a deep breath as she and Sachi began to walk right past the young man, who still had not moved from his spot, causing many people to have to walk around him to get past. Izayoi passed by him slowly, her shoulder accidentally brushing lightly against his, their eyes locked on each other. As she looked at his face, a strange sensation washed over Izayoi; she felt an unusual connection with this man, almost as though she knew him. Izayoi could tell from his dazed expression that he was feeling the same thing at that moment. And his eyes, his piercing, golden eyes were so beautiful, and yet haunting at the same time. Then, as quickly as it had begun, the moment was gone as Izayoi and Sachi finally walked completely past the young man. Even as they walked further ahead, Izayoi still felt compelled to turn around and look back, to get another look at the young man. But to her shock and dismay, he was gone! "He must have walked off and disappeared into the crowd," Izayoi thought to herself. She could not help but feel disappointed and a little sad that he was nowhere to be found.

"My lady? My lady, did you lose something?" Sachi asked as she noticed Izayoi looking back in the other direction.

"Oh no, Sachi," Izayoi told Sachi as she smiled reassuringly. Then she added, her tone slightly confused and her expression puzzled as she looked behind her again and said, "At least I don't _think_ I did."


	5. Chapter 4: Denial

**Chapter 4: Denial **

"Lord Inutaisho, is everything all right?" asked Myoga with concern.

Since they had left the town and returned to the mansion, Inutaisho had not spoken a word. As soon as they were inside the mansion, Inutaisho had gone into the library and sat at his table reading. Now, Inutaisho looked up from the book he had been reading, his expression and tone slightly irritated as he responded, "Everything is fine, Myoga. Now if you don't mind, I wish to be left alone." He then proceeded to look down at his book once more.

Myoga did as he was told and silently left the room. But as he left to go roam about outside, he continued to feel greatly concerned, as well as curious about his master's recent behavior. Myoga was sure it had to do with the young woman from this afternoon; the woman that Inutaisho had referred to as "exquisite." He was also sure that his master definitely needed some time alone to gather his thoughts. With that, he went outside, deciding to do some exploring of the forest, allowing his master some much needed privacy.

Meanwhile, Inutaisho tried to distract himself with the book he was reading. But it was becoming very clear to himself that his mind was not on the book. As hard as he tried, he could not get the image of Izayoi out of his mind. "If only she hadn't looked at me," he thought to himself in frustration. "Why did she have to look at me like that? Why did I just stand there? Why didn't I just look away, or at least walk away? Why can't I forget her scent? Why is her face burned in my memory?" All of these questions raced through his mind repeatedly, eventually causing him to toss the book aside angrily. As he sat in his chair, trying to calm himself, he found himself recalling that moment when he and Izayoi had looked at each other. He remembered her expression; she had looked so entranced and so enthralled by the sight of him. He also remembered that strange feeling he had felt as soon as their eyes had met. It was as if they had always known each other.

As he thought this over, Inutaisho brought one hand up to his face, covering his eyes and forehead, and shook his head in exasperation. He could not believe that this was happening to him. In all of his many demon years, no human female had ever left such a lasting impression on him. He could not figure out why, after all this time, was he suddenly desiring to know one particular human; desiring to break his own promise about never getting involved with humans.

"That can't happen, you fool," his voice of reason told him coldly. "You know damn well what the consequences of that could be. They hate you, you know. The humans fear and hate all demons; you're all but monsters to them; savage beasts and vicious killers. You remember what happened all those years ago do you not? You would not want to make another careless mistake, now would you?"

"That won't happen again," Inutaisho told himself sternly, forcing his voice of reason into silence. He was not about to lose control by recalling those terrible memories. They were in the past, where they belonged and he had certainly learned from his foolishness. He removed his hand from his forehead and stood up from his chair, a determined look on his face. "I will carry on as I always have. Nothing has changed and it never will. Besides, she's just a woman." _Just a woman._ Inutaisho could not help but grimace at his last statement. Even as he said it, that phrase hardly sounded sincere and honest. It was a flat out lie and he knew it. Then, he turned his head towards the window and realized that it was now dark outside. He could not believe that he had been shut inside his library for that long, completely losing track of the time. Then, Inutaisho stood up from his chair, still looking towards the window, out at the evening sky. He smiled a hungry, predatory smile as he said, "A perfect night for hunting. Besides, I could use a good distraction." He then stretched out his fingers and clenched them slightly, causing his knuckles to crack loudly. With that, he took off with his usual lightning speed out of the mansion and into the deepest and farthest reaches of the woods. As he did so, his claws suddenly became fully bared, while his eyes turned blood red, glowing like burning fire in the darkness. As he sniffed the air deeply, he suddenly smiled a broad, hungry smile, his many sharp teeth and fangs becoming bared, his voice now deep and hoarse as he growled out, "Easy prey!"


	6. Chapter 5: Reflection

**Chapter 5: Reflection**

"I wonder where he could have come from," Izayoi thought to herself as she lay in bed, her eyes staring up at the ceiling in deep concentration. She had been trying for the last hour to get some sleep, but her mind would simply not allow her to rest. She could not stop thinking about the young man who had been staring at her in Kasumi. He had looked so strange and yet so beautiful. "And those eyes…" Izayoi thought to herself dreamily, "They seemed to be looking right into me…, into my soul." As stunned as Izayoi was by her own train of thoughts, she simply could not help herself. She knew that she was very intrigued by this man and wondered as to who he could be. She reasoned that he must have been a foreigner, since she had never seen him in town before. "I certainly would have remembered seeing him before," she thought to herself. Izayoi then proceeded to roll over, trying once more to get some sleep. But once again, the image of the beautiful stranger filled her mind, causing Izayoi to sigh in frustration at herself. "I should not be having such thoughts," she scolded herself mentally. "For goodness sakes, I do not even know his name! Besides, such thoughts are inappropriate, foolish, and wasteful." Izayoi cringed slightly as she realized who she was beginning to think like.

For as long as she could remember, her father had been a very stern man. Even for a middle-aged man, Lord Matsumoto's stoic and commanding demeanor was enough to make anyone feel intimidated by him. No one could refuse him anything or even think to deny him any respect. And if there was one other thing that could be said about Lord Matsumoto, it was his strong belief that emotions were a weakness, as well as useless. Therefore, one should avoid expressing them, especially in the presence of others; he felt that one must deal with their own personal problems and emotions as quickly and privately as possible. As a result of this, Izayoi had developed a very deep sense of privacy over the years and rarely spoke openly with her father, or anyone else, about anything personal. Quite frankly, she and Lord Matsumoto hardly spoke as it was, except about trivial matters. Although she loved and respected her father dearly, Izayoi could not deny the fact that her relationship with her father was lacking in certain ways.

"I truly wish that I could speak with father more freely," she thought longingly. "I truly want to be able to tell him every thought that's in my head. But I know that he would hate it if he saw the real, _imperfect_ me. And he certainly would never allow me to speak the truth anyway, or even listen for that matter."

The realization of this soon brought about the all too familiar feelings of hurt and resentment in Izayoi. Her face took on a melancholy expression as she thought, "Is it wrong for me to desire more out of my life? Sometimes, I feel so trapped; as though my whole life has been arranged for me and as though everyone is watching me; I'm always expected to be perfect, since that is what I was raised for. To be the perfect woman. The perfect _bride_." At this thought, Izayoi's breath caught in her throat, fisting her hands tightly as she realized that her thoughts had taken her into the dreaded subject of marriage. It wasn't that she did not desire to get married; Izayoi merely wished that she could marry for love rather than for money, title, or convenience. But in her heart, Izayoi greatly feared that this was exactly what would happen; she would merely be a prized possession being handed over to whoever could pay the highest price. Nothing more. And since she was now eighteen years of age, marriage could not be avoided much longer. Soon, her father would begin to urge her to find a suitable husband. Or rather _he_ would strive to find _her_ a suitable husband; someone that _he_ deemed good enough for her. Izayoi scoffed slightly at this thought; the very idea that any man would ever be deemed good enough for her in the eyes of Lord Matsumoto seemed to her both unlikely and absurd.

Eventually, sleep seemed to finally catch up with Izayoi as she felt her body tire and her eyelids grow heavy. She rolled over once more and closed her eyes, allowing the sleep to claim her. As her breathing became more slow and relaxed, she let out a small sigh as she slowly drifted off into a comfortable and deep sleep.

* * *

_The moment that Izayoi looked around at her surroundings, she knew that she had to be dreaming. She was alone and she was standing at the entrance of a forest and it was now daylight outside, the sun bright and its' rays beaming down into the openings of the tall, majestic trees. She soon recognized it as the forest surrounding Kasumi Town and was quickly overcome with a desire to go inside. The moment she set foot inside, she suddenly took off running down the path, feeling more and more exhilarated and excited as she ran further in. It slowly dawned on her that she appeared to know where to go, yet had no idea to where exactly she was headed._

_Then, as soon as she came upon a large boulder towards the right side of the path, she abruptly stopped, as though she had almost missed something. Then, despite her mind telling her not to wander off the path, she did so anyway, making her way towards the left side and walking straight on. She continued on this way until eventually, she came upon an area filled with tall, thick bushes and small trees lined in various places. One area in particular seemed quite unusual; it looked as though the bushes had formed a big wall that seemed to stretch pretty far. Something inside Izayoi urged her to get a closer look near them. As soon as she was standing right in front of the bushes, she became aware of the faint scent of flowers. Yet she could not spot a single flower anywhere around her, leading Izayoi to believe that there was something on the other side of these bushes. At first glance, they appeared to be thick and completely impassable. But as she made her way through them, Izayoi realized that they were not so thick and the further she went in, the stronger the scent of flowers became. Eventually, she made her way out of the bushes completely, her eyes becoming momentarily blinded by the bright sunlight inside. As soon as her eyes had adjusted to the bright light, she opened them and stood in silent awe of what had been hidden inside._

_A large and beautiful clearing stood before her, covered with hundreds of wildflowers and elegant trees, both big and small. No matter where she looked, the flowers seemed to cover every inch of the trees, the grass, and even the surrounding bushes. But what was most amazing was the large spring that was also situated in the clearing. The water was clear and blue, with the sunlight beaming down on it, making the water sparkle; it looked as though hundreds of diamonds were floating inside. Izayoi immediately made her way towards the edge of the water, with the intention of soaking her feet in the spring. As she removed her shoes, Izayoi savored the scent of the flowers, as well as the beauty and majesty of her surroundings. Then, she stepped into the water, allowing the cool, pure water to soothe her feet. Then, she glanced down into the water, expecting to see her reflection. She gasped in shock and astonishment as she saw what looked back at her. There before her, the image of a little girl, a young Izayoi, looked back at her with a relieved and hopeful smile.  
_  
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Izayoi immediately woke up with a start, her heart racing, and her breaths coming in rapidly. For a moment, she felt disoriented, not sure if she was still dreaming or not. Also, the dream was still fresh in her mind and she desperately wanted to understand its' meaning and quickly. But as soon as she was calm and collected enough, sleep overtook her once more and she was soon fast asleep again. Just before drifting off again, she silently wished that she would return to the dream she had been having. Perhaps then she could learn what its' purpose had been. But instead, she merely returned to a very deep, dreamless sleep.

**AN: Hello again, readers! I'm sorry that it's taken a while for me to upload new chapters. I'm glad you guys are enjoying my story and I hope you will continue reading and reviewing. Thank you!**


	7. Chapter 6: Fatherly Advice

**Chapter 6: Fatherly Advice**

The next morning began like any other day for Izayoi. She awoke early, and then Sachi came in to help her get dressed and brush her hair. Then, Sachi went about her daily tasks while Izayoi made her way downstairs to the dining area, where she would take breakfast with her father. This was something of a daily ritual and it was one that Izayoi had mixed feelings about. She felt grateful to have this time alone with Lord Matsumoto. But also, Izayoi had to admit that there was something of an awkward and uncomfortable atmosphere that lingered between her and her father at breakfast. Despite this, however, she would try her best to be sociable with Lord Matsumoto, but never daring to discuss anything personal. He would sometimes nod, grunt, or make a few remarks or comments about what she said, but for the most part, he would look down at his breakfast and just listen as his daughter did most of the talking. At least, she _hoped_ he was listening. Quite often, it was hard to tell if he was even interested in what anyone had to say to him, including his own daughter. But for Izayoi, it was much better than sitting in uncomfortable silence with her father; so what did it matter if she did most of the talking.

But this time at breakfast was different. Instead of attempting to converse with her father as usual, she sat quietly and ate her food while he did the same. Her mind was far too absorbed for her to care about or even notice the lengthy silence. First, the image of the handsome man from yesterday entered her recollection once more. But what shocked Izayoi the most was the realization that now, more than anything, she wanted to see him again and wondered if that were even a remote possibility. But she quickly brushed this thought aside, feeling somewhat embarrassed and guilty for having such thoughts in her father's presence. Then, she suddenly began to recall the strange dream that she had the previous night. It disappointed her to realize that she could only remember parts of the dream now. Everything else had become somewhat of a blur to Izayoi, but there was one part of the dream that she still remembered perfectly. The image of her childhood self in the reflection of the water was still fresh in her mind and she wondered what the significance of that image had been. Izayoi usually did not take dreams too seriously, but this one had been so vivid. "Surely, it must mean something," she thought to herself. "That place seems so familiar. Perhaps that beautiful clearing with the spring really does exist. And perhaps, I could even find it."

"Izayoi, what's wrong?" asked Lord Matsumoto in his usual strong, baritone voice.

Izayoi immediately looked up from her plate and smiled politely as she responded, "Nothing is wrong, father. Nothing at all. Why do you ask?"

"You're so quiet this morning," he stated as he eyed her curiously. "It's not like you to be so quiet. Is there something on your mind?"

"N-no, of course not." Realizing that she had answered a little too quickly, Izayoi immediately added, "I mean…yes…well…perhaps I'm…I'm just a little preoccupied thinking about the festival tomorrow." She hoped silently that he believed her response. "It _is_ partially true," she thought to herself. She _was_ excited about the festival and it had been somewhat present in the back of her mind.

"Ah yes, the festival," Lord Matsumoto replied thoughtfully, a tiny smile playing on his lips. "It's that time of year again already. You've always been very fond of it; even as a little girl, you simply couldn't wait for the festival to come back every year."

Izayoi was stunned that her father was actually conversing with her about anything regarding her childhood. After all, he was hardly a sentimental or nostalgic man. But more than anything else, it surprised her that he remembered how much she liked the festival. She could not help but smile gratefully at her father's change of attitude; for a moment, she could see his sweet side slightly emerging; a side that she so rarely saw, but deeply wished would emerge more often.

"So, what will you be doing today, Izayoi?" Lord Matsumoto asked, changing the subject and resuming his usual, nonchalant attitude.

"Well…" Izayoi began, unsure for a moment as to what she would do. Usually, she would spend the days either painting, reading, visiting the gardens, or conversing with Sachi when she came to bring her tea later in the day. On some days, she would also visit Kasumi Town with Sachi or else take a walk around the grounds of the mansion. These activities, however, did not interest Izayoi today. She felt the strong urge to do something completely different today; something spontaneous; something adventurous.

"Well, what will you be doing today?" Lord Matsumoto repeated a little more firmly, causing Izayoi to jump slightly.

"I-I'm sorry, father," she began apologetically. "I just could not make up my mind for a moment." The last thing she wanted to do was get on her father's bad side. Therefore, for the time being, she would go out and look at the gardens, then decide from there what she would do. "I think I will go outside and visit the gardens today," she began casually. "It is a beautiful day outside and I would not want to waste it."

"You know, Izayoi," began her father in a serious tone, "there are more important things that you could be doing with your time."

This statement took Izayoi completely off guard as she looked at her father, her expression becoming puzzled. "What do you mean?" she asked in a somewhat wary voice.

"I think you know perfectly well what I mean," Lord Matsumoto responded, eyeing her with a knowing and stern look. When she continued to look confused, he continued on by saying, "Izayoi, you are young woman now. You should be thinking more about your future as opposed to idling your time away foolishly. Good gracious, Izayoi, you are eighteen years old and you have yet to attempt to attract any potential suitors!"

This statement immediately caused Izayoi to drop her chopsticks and to stare at her father with a look of disbelief and shock. "Why is he bringing this up now?" she thought with dread, "I did not expect this to come up so soon."

"Izayoi, are you hearing me?!" he demanded, his voice now becoming impatient and irritated.

"Of course I can hear you," she thought angrily, "All of the servants are hearing you right now and if you yell any louder, all of Kasumi will surely hear you!" Possibly to avoid saying these very thoughts out loud, she merely nodded her head in response to him.

"You cannot spend all your days engaging in childish activities," he continued on. "Also, I do not see you make enough of an effort to gain favor with people. At every party that we've held so far, you always seem to distant yourself from people, especially with any noblemen that attempt to approach you. You cannot hide from people forever Izayoi, especially if you hope to find a suitable husband. It's bad enough that I let you go gallivanting into town, mingling with those commoners. Now, you want to spend your time hiding in our home like some sort of recluse! My goodness, Izayoi, do realize what people would begin to say about you?! About our family?! You have a reputation, Izayoi, and I suggest you start making more efforts to uphold it. I will be damned if I let you tarnish our good name by failing to find a husband!"

Izayoi sat there in complete silence, taking in her father's harsh words while at the same time, wishing she could just disappear. She could feel the tears of anger wanting to form, causing her to begin to tightly fist her hands, hiding them under the table where her father would not notice. "I won't cry here," she told herself mentally. She also lowered her head slightly, causing her bangs to fall forward and partially cover her eyes. Izayoi prayed that this would be enough to hide her eyes, which had begun to well up with tears; she forced herself not to blink, lest those tears fall and betray her. "Not here. Just be strong," she mentally urged herself.

"Izayoi , all I am asking is that you consider your future," Lord Matsumoto stated, his tone becoming slightly calmer. "I truly feel that it is time that you find a suitable husband. And the sooner, the better. And I strongly feel that tomorrow's festival would be the perfect opportunity for you to do so. Don't waste it."

Izayoi merely nodded again, her expression solemn the entire time he had been speaking to her. She now desired nothing more than to flee from the room. "I understand, father," she said in a low voice, not daring to look up at him.

"Good," he responded, seeming satisfied with her response. "You may go about your business now. And please keep in mind what I've told you."

With that, Izayoi stood up and left the dining area, making her way towards the back of the mansion. As soon as she was out of her father's sight, she began walking quickly, wanting to get to the gardens as fast as she could. The moment she was outside, Izayoi finally allowed the tears to fall. "Once again, father believes that I have failed him somehow," she thought bitterly as she wandered through the gardens. "Why must he always say such harsh things to me? And how dare he call my interests 'childish!' They're my only means of escape from my dull, sheltered life. And why is he trying to marry me off so quickly?! It is not a matter of life and death!" Izayoi stood in the gardens silently, allowing the last of her tears to fall. When she had finally calmed down enough, she quickly wiped her face with her hands, feeling somewhat appeased. Ever since she was a little girl, she would often cry whenever she felt angry; even she, herself, did not understand why this was. It was just something that came over her whenever she was extremely angry. As she stood there, looking up past the gardens, she found herself gazing at the forest just beyond. It was then that an idea struck her, causing her to smile lightly. "I told father that I would be going to the gardens," she said to herself, "but I never said that I was going to stay there all day."

Right then and there, she decided that she would go explore the forest and seek out the clearing from her dream. It did not matter to her whether it really existed or not; she merely wanted to do something exciting and new for a change. "It's much better than just staying here angry," she told herself. She took a glance towards the mansion for a moment as she thought, "I won't be missed until at least noon." That was usually the time when Sachi would come to her room and bring her tea, which they always took together. "I won't be long," she promised herself. With that, Izayoi began walking away from the gardens, walking around to the front part of the mansion grounds. From there, she followed the road leading away from the mansion; the road she always took with Sachi to get to Kasumi Town. But this time, she did not follow the path all the way to Kasumi. Instead, she took the opposite path; the one leading to the entrance of the forest. Her heart filled with anticipation as she stood there, gazing up at the tall trees that hovered over. She did not feel the slightest bit afraid or nervous as she contemplated what she was about to do. As she stood there, a lovely breeze began to flow towards her from the direction of the forest. Izayoi smiled, taking this to be a sign; the forest was beckoning to her and she knew she had to answer the call. Without another moment's hesitation, she stepped inside the forest and began making her way down the dirt path; a path that soon became increasingly familiar.


	8. Chapter 7: Chance Encounter

**Chapter 7: Chance Encounter **

"The forest is even more beautiful up close," Izayoi exclaimed, her face mesmerized as she took in the lush scenery around her. She had been following the path for some time now and Izayoi was completely enthralled with the beauty of the forest; it was so quiet, peaceful, and private. "And somewhat romantic," she thought dreamily. She could envision a couple walking hand in hand through this mystical place. "This forest would be the perfect sanctuary for secret lovers. It would be like there own special little world; where the two of them could truly be themselves and no one could find them." Izayoi immediately shook her head, as if trying to force her silly fantasies away. "My thoughts can be truly strange at times," she muttered to herself. "Perhaps I shouldn't be reading quite so much. I'm far too much of a dreamer as it is."

As she made her way further in, she began to experience the feeling of having been in here before, yet could not remember when. "Perhaps it's the dream that I'm recalling," she thought. Earlier, she had recognized this very path as being the same one from the dream. But thus far, she had not come across anything else that seemed even remotely familiar. But no sooner had she thought this when suddenly, she caught sight of a large boulder on the right side of the path up ahead. "It's the same one from the dream! That place _must_ exist!" she thought excitedly as she ran over to the boulder. Izayoi now recalled that in the dream, she had wandered off the path, where she had ended up finding the clearing beyond the large bushes. But now, she realized that she simply could not recall which direction she had veered off from the path. "Was it to the left or to the right of the path?" she wondered out loud. Izayoi badly wished that she could remember this one, little detail, but she simply could not. "The boulder is to the right of the path," she reasoned, "maybe it was to the right." With that, she made the decision to head off the path to the right, telling herself that she would not go too far, just in case she was wrong.

But the more she went in, the more distracted she became as she took in her surroundings. No matter where she looked, the trees, plants, and chirping birds welcomed her into their majestic realm. And the further she went in, the more Izayoi became aware of the overwhelming sense of bliss and tranquility filling her. Here, in these woods, all of her problems seemed to wash away from her mind, leaving her alone with her innermost thoughts and dreams. Izayoi was so absorbed in her deep thoughts that, before she even realized it, she had gone very deep into the woods. It was not until she casually glanced back behind her that she realized that she had gone much farther in than she had intended to. Not only that, but as she glanced up at the sky, she noticed that the sun was nearing the top of the sky. In about another hour or so, it would be noon! "I cannot believe how quickly I lost track of the time," she thought with surprise. "One can surely lose themselves in this forest." With that, Izayoi knew that it was time to be on her way.

"I guess I went the wrong way. Next time, I will check the other direction," she thought as she turned around and began heading back. As she walked back, however, she noticed that every direction looked exactly the same. Izayoi quickly grew horrified as she realized that now, she was not even sure if she had headed off into a completely different direction while she was distracted. No matter where she looked, nothing looked familiar to her at all. "I cannot even tell where I came in from," she thought with dread. The more she went on, the more she realized that the path was nowhere to be found and that she was now completely lost. Her heart began racing and she took a moment to attempt to calm herself down. "It won't do any good to panic," she whispered to herself, "Just stay calm and relax." Despite her attempts to soothe herself, Izayoi knew that she was in very serious trouble. At this point, she did not even care if she got into trouble with her father; she just wanted to find the path or least for someone to find her and help her. "I won't hold my breath for that to happen," Izayoi thought dismally. "No one knows I'm here and no one else would come this far into the woods. Nobody but _me_ could be that foolish." As she thought this, she became even more nervous and apprehensive, as well as angry with herself for her own reckless and irresponsible behavior. She glanced up at the sky again, this time dreading the possibility of being lost in the woods at night, with no means of defending herself against any bandits or wild animals. The very thought of this caused Izayoi to freeze in her tracks. She was now overcome with intense fear, her heart racing and her stomach aching. "Someone help me please," she prayed in her mind, becoming more and more overwhelmed with anxiety.

Suddenly, Izayoi heard the sound of a twig snap, which caused her to turn around sharply. Then, she began to hear the sounds of leaves rustling and, to her horror, the sound seemed to be getting closer. In Izayoi's panicked state of mind, she feared that some bloodthirsty animal had found her and was now closing in on her. Completely paralyzed with fear, she stood there like a statue, too terrified to even scream. She closed her eyes as something began making its' way out from the bushes ahead. When everything grew completely silent, she slowly opened her eyes with dread. For a moment, she was sure she was imagining things. But as she stared ahead of her, she quickly realized that she had not lost her mind. There before her, stood the mysterious man she had seen in Kasumi. He was looking at her now, concern as well as bewilderment in his golden eyes.

"Are you all right?" he asked, in a voice that Izayoi found to be both rough, as well as tender. But Izayoi was still too shocked to speak; too frightened to even move an inch. When she did not answer him, he swiftly made his way towards her, moving in a somewhat graceful manner; in a way that she would never have expected from a man of his size. "You needn't be afraid, my lady," he assured her. "I just want to help you." He now stood a few feet before her and Izayoi now took in how tall he was. She reasoned that she was probably no taller than his neck and shoulder area. Next, she studied his attire, shocked at the difference from when she last saw him. Over his white hakama outfit, he was now wearing armor that covered his front, back, and shoulder area, which had a single flaming red jewel encrusted on the front; small metal spikes protruded from various parts of the armor, particularly on the shoulder areas. Also, covering his back was a long, flowing coat of white fur, which was long enough to touch the ground. Not only that, but she also noticed that he had on him three swords. Two of them were strapped together near his left hip with a blood red sash, which had splashes of purple at one corner, while the other sword was slung firmly over his back, almost as though it were hardly ever used. Then, as her eyes briefly studied his face, she noticed for the first time the strange, distinctive purple markings painted on both sides of his face. All of these things, along with his strong, dominating presence, suddenly made Izayoi feel both intimidated and small, further restricting her ability to speak or move. "My lady, I won't hurt you," he assured her again, his voice now becoming gentler and calmer.

His sincere words and soothing voice were enough to wash away all of Izayoi's prior fear and shock, causing her to let out a small sigh of relief. Now having become calm enough to answer him, she nodded her head as she said, "I-I'm quite all right. You merely startled me is all." Now, Izayoi felt more than just a little embarrassed with herself. This man had merely been trying to help her, and all she had done thus far was to stare at him with a gaping look of shock on her face. "He must think I'm crazy," she thought to herself in shame. "I must have looked like such a fool just now. Standing here and gawking at him like some sort of mad woman. What must he think of me?" she thought as her cheeks became slightly red with embarrassment.

He then looked her over briefly, eventually gazing at her face; his eyes were now looking at her inquisitively. "Correct me if I'm wrong," he began, "but you appear to be lost."

"Y-yes sir," she answered sheepishly. She then felt slightly tense with the prospect of having to explain how this happened. Nevertheless, she knew that she had to ask him for help, even if it meant embarrassing herself further. With that, she continued on. "I can't seem to find the path leading back towards Kasumi. If you would be so kind as to direct me back to the path, I would be most grateful."

He merely nodded, then proceeded to turn around, turning his head back to look at her as he said, "Follow me, please. I'll lead you back to the path."

Immediately, she walked beside him, now feeling an overwhelming sense of relief that he had happened to find her. She glanced up at the sun again, feeling more relief as she realized that it was not noon yet. "I still have time to make it back before anyone can miss me," she thought gratefully. As they walked on in silence, Izayoi would occasionally glance up at the handsome stranger. Each time that she did, she felt the urge to say something to him, yet did not. In her mind, she had several questions to ask him and many things that she wished to say to him. Yet even now, she still could not work up enough courage to speak to him. Perhaps it was her own reticence; or perhaps it was his aloof demeanor that held her back.

Eventually, she found herself glancing at the three swords that he carried once more. "Was he carrying them when I first saw him?" she wondered silently. Then, she felt slightly embarrassed again as she realized that the only thing she had paid attention to when she first saw him was his physical appearance. After all, he had appeared so angelic and beautiful amongst the crowd of ordinary looking people. But now, as she looked him over more carefully, Izayoi could also see that he looked very strong and powerful, like some mystical warrior from a storybook. "I do not think that even the strongest of the Samurai could challenge him," she thought in astonishment. The very thought of this caused her to puzzle over his swords once more; she could not help but wonder why a powerful man like him would require the protection of three swords.

"The path is just up ahead," he said to her, pulling Izayoi out of her thoughts immediately.

"We're there already?" she thought in surprise. It had not felt like they had walked for very long. Izayoi felt even more stunned at the realization that she felt somewhat disappointed. Disappointed that she had not attempted to converse with this man, even when he had helped her. "I did not even learn his name," she thought dismally. As they finally reached the path, Izayoi turned to face the man and thank him properly. But before she could say anything, she noticed him looking her over again and then glancing at the path going in the direction of Kasumi. She could not be sure, but his expression seemed somewhat agitated, and for a moment, frustrated. He looked as though he could not make up his mind about something.

He then proceeded to look back at her, his expression serious once more as he said, "I will accompany you until we reach Kasumi. After all, a lady like you should not be left alone in these woods."

Izayoi was so surprised by his remark that all she could do was merely nod in response to him. They continued on as before, both walking in silence. But this time, Izayoi noticed that he now looked somewhat irritated. This led Izayoi to think that he had become angry with her. "He must feel insulted that I have not spoken to him yet," she reasoned mentally. "He must think me ungrateful. I must say something to him before I offend him further. At the very least, I must thank him."

Izayoi decided that right then and there would be a good chance to speak with him. After all, there was still some time before they arrived. She casually cleared her throat as she began, "Sir?"

He seemed momentarily surprised by the sound of her voice as he turned to look at her. Then, he resumed his prior serious expression as he answered, "Yes, my lady?"

"I apologize for my rudeness thus far," she began. "You have been so nice to help me and I have yet to thank you for what you've done for me." She briefly lowered her head in shame, then continued on as she said, "I thank you very much. I dare not even think what would have happened had you not found me."

For a moment, he stared at her with a stunned expression, unable to say anything. Then, his expression softened slightly as he answered, "My lady, you are most welcome. Also, you do not owe me any apologies."

Izayoi smiled with relief at having been able to at last break the intense silence between the two of them. She decided to take as much advantage as she could of the situation. She certainly did not want them to remain strangers to each other either. She then proceeded to take on a more poised, formal demeanor as she said, "Oh but I do. In fact, I have not even properly introduced myself to you." She then bowed graciously as she said, "I am Lady Izayoi. And you are…"

He stilled for a moment, as though he were hesitant to reveal his name to her. Eventually, he gave a small, reluctant smile, bowing graciously as he replied, "I am Lord Inutaisho."

"Inutaisho," she repeated, almost as though she were trying it out. "Such an unusual name." Izayoi immediately regretted saying these very words out loud. "W-well, what I meant was…" she explained in an embarrassed voice, "is that it's very…distinct, as well as unique. It certainly is not a name you hear everyday." She hoped and prayed silently that he had not taken offense to her bold remark.

"It's a very old name," he explained, not seeming the least bit deterred by her remark. "It's completely understandable that you would find it unusual."

"Really, an old name?" she replied, curious as to what a name like that could mean. But mostly, she wondered where Inutaisho could have come from to possess such a unique name. Unable to fight off her curiosity any longer, she said somewhat hesitantly, "You are not from Kasumi, are you."

This caused Inutaisho to stop in his tracks and look at her warily. Then, in a somewhat guarded manner, he responded, "No, I'm not. As a matter of fact, I just arrived in town a few days ago. I've taken up residence…somewhere outside of Kasumi," he ended, seeming unwilling to reveal anything more about where he lived.

"Then he _is_ a foreigner," she thought to herself. Then, more curious than ever before, she asked, "If you don't mind me asking, where _did_ you come from?"

Inutaisho paused, his expression looking briefly troubled, before he answered, "Here and there. I travel all over. Never did care much for staying in one place for too long."

"You-you've traveled all over?" she asked, her face gleaming with profound interest and intrigue. "It must be so wonderful to see new and exciting places all of the time; to have new and different experiences. How fortunate you must be." As she said this last statement, Izayoi noticed the dark expression come over Inutaisho's face. He looked away and closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them once more, his golden eyes seemed to be filled with pain and regret. For a moment, he seemed to forget that she was even there; he just walked silently, looking off into the distance. "Oh no, I've upset him somehow," she thought with concern. But she could not understand what part of what she had said could have upset him so much. But as she gazed at him, she noticed something familiar about the hurt in his face. It was the look of a person recalling something sorrowful. The look of a person trying to force out painful memories; hurtful memories that left their deep scars on your heart. This was something that she, herself, was all too familiar with. Izayoi's heart went out to Inutaisho as she watched him, sympathy and sadness filling her eyes. As she walked with him and watched him suffer in silence, she briefly saw a little of herself in him. "I know how much the past can hurt," she thought sadly, unable to take her eyes off of Inutaisho. She wished silently that there was someway that she could help him; someway that she could know what was causing his torment.

Suddenly, as though recalling that she was right there beside him, Inutaisho resumed his serious expression before he turned to look at her again. As he looked at her, his expression became momentarily stunned; his eyes briefly widening in astonishment. Izayoi had no idea what the expression on her face had looked like moments before and wondered what he saw in it that surprised him so. She also had no idea what she should say or do. Then, just as quickly as it had happened, Inutaisho was his serious self once more. And once more, he looked on ahead and walked on in silence. Izayoi could not help but feel a little taken aback by his sudden moods. She also could not help wondering what he had been thinking about before. It was then that she noticed that Inutaisho had stopped in his tracks and was looking straight ahead of them. She followed his gaze and saw that they had finally arrived. Once more, Izayoi felt a slight tinge of disappointment, yet also relief at being back in familiar surroundings. They both stood there for a few moments, until Izayoi turned to Inutaisho and said, "Lord Inutaisho, I thank you once more for your help. I truly appreciate it." With that, she bowed gratefully, him following suit as well.

"You are most welcome, my lady," he responded in a sincere tone. With that, he turned and began making his way back into the woods.

Izayoi stood there, watching him walk away, wondering just where exactly he lived. But most of all, she wondered if she would see him again. Secretly, she hoped that he would attend the festival tomorrow. "It would be nice to get to know him better," she thought hopefully. "At least under more pleasant circumstances, that is." After all, he seemed like a very intriguing and mysterious individual. But also, Izayoi strongly felt the desire to repay Inutaisho somehow for helping her. Money was probably out of the question, since he already seemed to be of wealthy standing. Surely, there was something else that she could do for him. "Wait a moment please, my lord," she called out to him quickly.

He paused for a moment before turning back around to look at her as he said, "Yes, my lady?"

"I really feel that I must do more to thank you," she explained. "Surely there must be someway that I can reward you for your kindness. Money may not interest you, but if there is anything else you would like-"

"Lady Izayoi, that is completely unnecessary," he interjected vehemently. "Your gratitude and safety are enough for me, I can assure you."

This caused Izayoi to smile modestly, as well as causing a warm, fluttery feeling in her stomach. "Well, it was nice to have met you, Lord Inutaisho," she said in a warm, friendly manner. "Perhaps we shall meet again," she added, hoping her tone did not sound too eager.

"Perhaps, perhaps not," he answered, the tone of his voice sounding indifferent, yet also somewhat indignant. Then, Inutaisho turned around to face the forest again, but as he did, he turned his head back to look at her. "One more thing," he told her, his voice becoming somewhat disconcerting. "Try not to make a habit of wandering off alone in these woods. Next time, I might not be around to help you." Without waiting for a response from her, Inutaisho turned his head back around and made his way back into the woods as before, never once looking back.

Izayoi was left speechless as she stood there, watching him leave until he was nowhere to be seen. She could not help feeling stunned by his strange and cryptic remark. "He is certainly an unusual man," she thought to herself. "At times, he acted so polite and sincere towards me. And then at other times, he seemed so guarded and distant; almost as though he wanted nothing more than to get away from me. But why?" she wondered in confusion. "Was it something I said or did?" Then, she thought dismally, "Or maybe father is right. I don't make enough of an effort to gain favor with people. Instead, I somehow end up driving them away from me."

"Oh my goodness!" she cried out, the sudden thought of her father reminding her that still needed to get back home. She quickly glanced up at the sky, noticing for the first time that in a few more minutes, it would be noon. With that, she ran down the road leading back to the mansion, and soon, she caught sight of her home. Not wanting to arouse attention from any of the servants, she raced around to the back of the mansion, intending to get in through the back entrance. She ran through the gardens quickly, making her way through the back door. Once inside, she stopped for a moment to catch her breath, trying to conceal her heaving and gasping breaths as much as possible. When she had somewhat recovered herself, she made her way up the stairs to her room, making sure that no one was in the hallway before swiftly making her way to her bedroom. Once inside, she closed the door, trying to slow her breathing and steady her racing heart. "Thank goodness!" Izayoi whispered in relief, still attempting to catch her breath.

Eventually, she managed to compose herself enough that she made her way to her table, kneeling down and waiting patiently for Sachi to arrive with the tea. As she waited, Izayoi could not help but feel satisfied, thrilled, as well as stunned by everything that had just happened. Although she had been very frightened when she had become lost, she still had very much enjoyed her time in the forest. She felt very pleased with herself at having done something daring and new; it was almost as though something had awakened inside of her. But she also felt amazed at her chance encounter with Lord Inutaisho. "It must have been a miracle from the Heavens that he happened to find me," she thought gratefully.

Suddenly, Izayoi heard a knock on the door, indicating that Sachi had finally arrived. "Izayoi, it's me, Sachi," she called out from behind the door.

"Come in, Sachi," Izayoi called out cheerfully, not wanting Sachi to suspect anything.

With that, Sachi came in, bearing the tray with Izayoi's favorite tea setting. "I'm sorry it took so long," Sachi began apologetically, "I was out doing the laundry and then I had to…" Sachi's voice trailed off as she looked at Izayoi's face, her expression becoming shocked and concerned. She immediately moved over to the table, put the tray down, and went over to Izayoi, touching her face with the back of one hand. "Izayoi, your cheeks are all flushed!" she exclaimed. "And your face is perspiring, too! Are you feeling all right? Are you ill?"

Izayoi's face became momentarily panicked and worried. In her haste to get to her room, she had not thought to check her appearance at all. She glanced at herself in the mirror and was stunned to see that she was slightly perspiring and her cheeks were bright red. "It was a huge mistake running over here like a wild thing," she regretted mentally. "I exhausted myself with all that running. I clearly do not have the stamina for running like that," she thought with frustration. Then, remembering Sachi and not wanting to worry her, Izayoi quickly explained, "I'm fine, Sachi. I really am. I think this room is getting a little hot though, with today being a little warmer than most days."

"You're right," Sachi agreed. "It _is_ a little warm in here. No wonder you look the way you do. I'm surprised you did not go outside instead."

"Oh I went out to the gardens but…" Izayoi responded swiftly, then briefly stopped herself before she continued on, trying to think up a believable scenario. As much as she loved and trusted Sachi, she did not want her friend to know about her little excursion in the woods. At least not just yet. "But…I…guess I just decided to come back in and catch up on some reading. You know I can get just as engrossed in my reading as I do with my painting."

"That I do, Izayoi," Sachi said with a smile forming on her face. She then proceeded to take her place at the table beside her mistress. As they both lifted their tea cups, Sachi asked in a lighthearted tone, "So, are you looking forward to the festival tomorrow?"

Izayoi's face lit up as she smiled and answered, "Of course I am, Sachi. I'm looking forward to having such a fun time, as always."

"And who knows," Sachi began excitedly, "You might even meet someone. There will be plenty of eligible men attending, if you know what I mean." As she said this, Sachi smiled mischievously and winked at Izayoi.

"Sachi!" Izayoi exclaimed, her face turning bright red once more as Sachi laughed at her. "For heavens sake, that is the last thing on my mind!" She then proceeded to laugh nervously, trying her best to mask her annoyance with Sachi's bold remark. "Just remember that she means well," Izayoi mentally assured herself. Yet, there was no denying that at the moment Sachi mentioned the possibility of meeting someone, Inutaisho's face had briefly appeared in Izayoi's mind.


	9. Chapter 8: Growing Temptation

**Chapter 8: Growing Temptation**

"I don't know what I'm doing anymore," Inutaisho muttered to himself in frustration, covering his forehead and eyes with one hand.

After his encounter with Izayoi, Inutaisho had returned to the forest once more. As soon as he was sure that he was completely out of her sight, he had begun to run aimlessly through the woods, almost as though he were trying to outrun his own thoughts. Eventually, for no particular reason, Inutaisho stopped running and noticed one of many tall trees standing before him. With that, he leaped up into the tallest branches and proceeded to sit down, leaning his back against the trunk of the tree. Here, he had remained for the last couple of hours, contemplating what had happened and feeling more and more agitated and confused.

"Why must you persist on making things more difficult for yourself?" his voice of reason chided him. "You should have simply walked away and left that woman to her fate."

This caused Inutaisho to utter a low, fierce growl, grinding his teeth together very roughly. Quickly, however, he began to compose himself, deliberately taking slow, relaxed breaths. "Don't you dare lose control," he urged himself determinedly, desperately. He was all too aware just how dangerous his anger could become; he could not risk losing control, even for a moment. But as he sat there soothing himself, he knew that there was no denying the truth of the matter. He could have, _should have_, stayed away from Izayoi, yet had chosen not to. As a matter of fact, he had been in the forest today for the sole purpose of avoiding her entirely. He knew that his fascination and curiosity with Izayoi was still present; therefore, he had decided to avoid going to Kasumi Town for a couple of days. He had assured himself that this would be just enough time for him to "break the spell," as he had put it.

But it seemed that fate had thought otherwise. He realized that the moment he first caught the faint scent of Izayoi mixed in with the smells of the forest. Initially, he had wondered what she was doing there in the forest all by herself. But then, he had tried his best to ignore her presence and continue on his way, which he might very well have succeeded in doing so. But the moment he became aware that her scent was growing fainter and heading off into an unknown part of the forest, Inutaisho could no longer ignore the situation. He knew she was there somewhere; he also knew how easy it was for a human to lose there way in these woods. Swiftly, he had begun to follow the trail of her scent and within a short amount of time, had caught up with her. But he had not made his presence known to her immediately. Instead, he had quietly followed her from a distance, watching her as she wandered about the forest. She had seemed so at ease there all by herself, hardly what he had expected to see. She had even wandered so far away from the path, and yet had not seemed the least bit concerned. Instead, she looked very content and peaceful, admiring her surroundings in silent awe. Despite this, however, Inutaisho simply could not bring himself to walk away and leave Izayoi alone, though his mind urged him to do just that. He had to be sure that she was in no danger whatsoever before he could even think to leave her alone. Eventually, as he had watched her carefully, Inutaisho had noticed Izayoi becoming worried as well as frightened. He had watched as she had unsuccessfully attempted to retrace her steps, her face becoming more and more panicked as she began to fully comprehend her situation. It was then that her fear and anxiety became so intense that he, himself, had been able to smell it all over her. Without even thinking about it, he had made his way towards her, abandoning his prior stealthy manner and at last making himself known to her.

Even as he looked back on everything, Inutaisho still could hardly make sense out of it. Although he had tried his hardest to remain as distant as possible, it had not deterred Izayoi in her attempts to converse with him later on, and there was no question as to why. He had noticed the innocent curiosity and interest that filled her dark eyes, especially when she had asked for his name and about where he had come from. "She wants to know about me," he thought with concern. "She's curious about me and probably won't rest until she learns all that she wants to know." It was this realization that had been plaguing Inutaisho for these last couple of hours. He worried that it would now be more difficult than ever to maintain a low profile from here on out. Yet, Inutaisho could not deny that after meeting Izayoi, he felt as though something was beginning to change within him; he now felt more tempted than ever before to break his vow about not getting close to humans. Also, despite his concerns, Inutaisho could not bring himself to regret his actions. He knew that he could never have lived with himself if he had knowingly, willingly, walked away and left a helpless woman lost and alone in the forest. He knew the forest well enough to know the dangers that it could hold for a fragile, young human like Izayoi. "I may be a monster," he thought to himself, a decisive look forming on his face, "but I am certainly not lacking in mercy, rationality, and manners."

_Manners_. As he thought of this word, Inutaisho suddenly felt a wave of guilt wash over him, and it did not take him very long to figure out why. He soon began to recall his encounter with Izayoi once more; except this time, he was recalling his behavior towards her as they had walked back to Kasumi. Specific images began to play themselves out in his mind; his cold, aloof manner as they had walked in lengthy silence; his reluctance to answer her seemingly harmless questions; and finally, his last words to her as they had parted ways. Inutaisho had not failed to notice the tinge of eagerness in Izayoi's voice as she had casually said that they might meet again. Still determined to maintain some distance between them, he had responded in a way that he felt would have ensured that she would become irritated with him, thus causing her to lose any interest in him. But now, as he looked back on it, he felt more than just a little ashamed of himself. She had seemed to be trying so hard to please him and she had even seemed to be struggling just to speak with him. And then, when she had innocently said that she considered him to be fortunate, he had briefly allowed his emotions to betray him by becoming upset; he remembered how concerned and sympathetic she had looked when he had eventually glanced back at her. Even now, it stunned him to think that at that moment, she had seemed to be empathizing with his inner turmoil; even when she knew absolutely nothing about him or about who, _what_, he truly was. "She possesses a kind and gentle heart to pity a stranger that way," he mused as the image of her sympathetic face entered his mind. "And I did little to return the kindness," he thought bitterly. In fact, the more he thought about these things, the more he found himself worrying that he might have given Izayoi the wrong impression. "She seems to be a very sensitive young woman," he reasoned. "She'll most likely think that _she_ displeased _me_ somehow. That _she_ was somehow to blame for my own rudeness."

At this, Inutaisho let out a deep sigh, now feeling bewildered by the various thoughts and emotions that he was experiencing. But most of all, he was also beginning to question if wanting to know Izayoi was truly so wrong of him. Eventually, he lifted his head up towards the sky and suddenly, a thought struck him. "Is all of this happening for a reason?" he questioned himself. "Am I being challenged to break my vow after all of these years?" Maybe he was. Maybe everything that had transpired thus far was an act of fate. And if it was, then he knew that it was a futile effort to try and stop it. But what if it was not? What if it was merely his own selfish desires trying to lead him astray? Even worse, what if his foolish actions once more led to something terrible happening? All of these questions filled Inutaisho's mind, causing him to become even more distressed. "I must get away from here," he said determinedly. "I'll go crazy if I sit here another moment." As he said this, Inutaisho knew exactly where he wanted to go. He would go to the one place that he knew could put his mind at ease; the one place where he always managed to find his answers. With that, he took off with blinding speed to the place he had visited many times in the past. It had always been the perfect place to do some much needed soul searching. "Hmm, soul searching," he scoffed lightly at himself, a wry smile forming on his lips. "What fitting choice of words," he said with a sarcastic tone. He continued to run determinedly, vowing that he would not stop until he got there.

**AN: Hello again readers! Sorry for taking so long again. Hope you guys like the story thus far. Thanks for all the encouraging reviews and please continue reading!**


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